Mighty Sandamuni Pagoda

Continuing the Mandalay book tour from nearby Kuthodaw Pagoda, Sandamuni contains more than a thousand little stupas with similar book slabs. It seems like one big ibid except the layout of the place is different. The stupas are so close together, wandering among them is an obstacle course.

The main attraction is the main stupa, big, shiny and imposing.

The little book stupas, shoulder to shoulder, all in straight rows.

Inside the big pagoda, the largest iron Buddha in Myanmar, now covered in gold.

A little side Buddha, growing patina. Another view of the stupa, still imposing.

It's nice to get a little distance from the complex, to appreciate better the graphic of the layout.

The Book On Kuthodaw Pagoda In Mandalay

Purported to host the world's largest book, it's a bit of a semantics issue at Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay. The "book" in question is written on stone slabs that are each housed in their own little whitewashed (or blue-washed) stupa. At Kuthodaw, there are 729 stupas with 1,774 more slabs, stupas down the street at Sandamuni Pagoda. The total slab count is considered one book. Who's counting?

In the center of the complex, a grand, gold stupa.

Right, start counting. One of many, many rows of little stupas. Inside each stupa, a fabled slab.

Other details can be found in random prayer areas, mostly Buddha.

More stupa rows, this time wearing white. Darling icon.

Cracking out the wide angle, a grand attempt at capturing the many stupas. Dizzying.